EuroSHOCK
EuroSHOCK is a wrestling federation located in the UK, but running shows throughout Europe. It was originally known as the GBW, but changed it's name when it started moving away from family entertainment. Noticing a change in taste, owner Angus Pertwee started trying to emulate Japanese Jisatsu style - it didn't fully catch on, but the product is still a lot grittier than their rivals. HISTORY Great British Wrestling GBW has been a staple of the UK wrestling scene since the 60s when it was run by Angus "Stretch" Pertwee Sr. Fun for the whole family, the main draw was working class characters like Carl "The Butcher's Boy" Knox, "Handyman" Dennis Young, and Da Lout - taking on international menace like The Marquis De Havilone. It was one of the top companies in Britain. When Angus Pertwee Jr. inherited it in the late 80s, things weren't riding as high. Business was slowing down, and top heel Vile "Vince" Viper had caused a number of riots that had banned them from larger venues, and ruined their family image. In Pertwee Jr.'s mind, the only way to make things better was to make them worse... European Shock Wrestling Choosing to embrace this rough image, Pertwee renamed the organization, and set about booking Europe's first deathmatch. At a fair, before a crowd of 500, Vile "Vince" Viper and one of England's most beloved stars, The Lout, fought in a C4 death match. The Lout suffered a career ending injury. Working under the motto that "al press is good press," Pertwee continued to push the death matches to end the decade. This alienated many of the established stars, but introduced bruised faces like "Blackpool Bomber" Gus Harris, Rich Davis, and The Grey Knight. EuroShoot - Second Evolution In the early 90s, MMA started to pick up steam, and as mock pancrase federations - that used a mixed work shoot style - started appearing in Japan, Pertwee again felt he was onto the next big thing. Abandoning death matches for something "more realistic," Pertwee started bringing in bareknuckle boxers and carnival shooters to move the product into a more MMA format. This ran off more of the actual wrestling draws, but established talent like Peter Edmonston, Soccer Hooligan John, "Sharp Shooter" Gary Mason, and Sean Locke. Watchdog groups, serious injuries, lawsuits, and luke warm reactions put the writing on the wall. EuroSHOCK! By the mid-90s Pertwee was ready to go back to straight wrestling, but no wrestling draws were willing to give him a call back. Fortunately one of his few friends ran a wrestling school brimming with talent; unfortunately that friend was, Vile "Vince" Viper. His school could produce magnificent heels, but that was about it. With a roster made up of death match freak shows, bareknuckle brawlers, and arrogant young heels that were dicks even as faces - an "attitude era" was thrust upon Pertwee and it would be reflected, whether he liked it or not. In its inception EuroSHOCK had the very green Jake Harris, Edgar Caspian, "Handsome" Henry Auster, Hector Santana, Doc Saturn, Nico Antures, and "Nature Boy" Reginald Winter. Hyper Fights Looking to expand, but having burnt many bridges in Europe - Pertwee joined the American organization IWA. Making EuroSHOCK the sole European company to participate in the IWA Hyper Fights. The only star with international recognition, if only midcard, Edgar Caspian became the sneering face of the company at the interpromotional events. VVV's newest school, AWE-I, was also a member, sending a number of top graduates to bolster EuroSHOCK's presence. During the course of the run, Caspian became a major draw, and as part of a storyline; when AWE-I's top star, Death In the Flesh, was kicked out, he signed with EuroSHOCK to get revenge. For a number of years, ES had the IWA's top two heels. It also developed an intense rivalry with BIG CLASH, that ended in them stealing the All Men Are Brothers tournament. ROSTER "La Hire" Jean Pierre Celine, DEATHKNELL, DEATH in the FLESH, "The Perfect Gentleman" Edgar Caspian, "Handsome" Henry Auster, Cervante Gomez, Duke Wagner, Terrence Moore, Lester Lunde, Doc Saturn, TWILIGHT, The Black Plague Category:Defunct federations